Fruit sizing machine



Nov. 22, 1932.

c. E. wHlsNAND ET AL FRUIT SIZING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 24. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet A tlorney k 6 v alla Nov. 22, l1932. c. E. wHxsNAND z-:T AL Y 1,888,709

FRUIT sIzING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 24. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented Nov. 22, 1932 UNITED [STATES PATENT @Price CHAR-LEY n WHISNAND jAND :tno KUBosKE, or WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGN- ons To CATARACT FRUITEQUIPMENT. COMPANY, or YAKIMA, WASHINGTON, A`

CORPORATION FRUIT sIzINGMAcnINE Application mea september 24, 192s, semaine. 308,023. Renewed July 27', 1932.'

Our present invention relates to improvements in fruit sizing machines, which while herein illustrated and describedas adapted especially for sizing apples into dilierent grades, are also capable for use with other kinds of fruits and vegetables. In carrying out our invention we use one or more unitsf involving pairs of endless conveyers or belts in combination with an intermediate rop-e conveyer over which the apples and other fruits may be carried, and these conveyers are arranged tof-diverge toward their jdelivery ends, or from their receiving ends, in order that the smaller fruit may first be disposed of and then the larger fruit be ndisposed of at successive points along `the "length of the conveyers.

Means are provide for handling the separated apples, and means are also provided for disposingr of' the culls that are separated because of their condition. The invention `consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and claimed. In the accompanying drawings we haveillustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of our invention wherein the parts are combined and arrangedvaccording to the best mode we have thus far devised for the practical application of theprinciples of our invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying our invention, with parts broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is a broken, longitudinal, vertical sectional view of one of the sizing units,

showing also the operating means for the endless belts and intermediate rope conveyer.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section at line 3 3 Fig. l. p.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing parts of the conveyers of a unit.

The supporting structure, in the nature of a tablev or frame 1 having legs 2 is fashioned in suitable length and height and the apples are fed as from an elevator 3 to ajfeed hopper 4 at the receiving or left end of the machine in the drawings.

Any desired number of sizing units may employed, two of the units being here for .contactwith theapples. The endless belts travel longitudinally of the machine and` aresupportedon transverselymdisposed rolls 7, "7,

s y Y properly situated at the opposite ends of the machine, l r v' Power for operating the: several conveyers istalren froma-n' electric motor-.8 through thev 60 belt drive including-the small pulley 9 of the i motor, belt 10, and large pulley'll onit-heV drive shaft 12 that is journaled infsuitable bearings supportedon thera-mej AY drive pinion 13 on the shaftl2 transmits power through. .the sprocketchain 14 to the driven ,sprocket wheel lfont-he driven shaftV 16 as best seenainy Figure 2, and the driven shaft has a wide roller 17 A over which theendless belts pass, a large roller ,18 also being employed withthe complementary largeY end roller 7 for ksupporting the endless conveyers.l the required movement to the several conveyers 1s-indicated Figure 2. Y

The ,upper .or working flights of the pairs l of belts 5 and `glide alongover the top .surfaces V:of guiderailsl), 4eachvofpwhich has an outer guide iiange 20 for the outer edge lof each` belt,and the shafts 21 ofthe guide rollbest-seeninFigures 1 and 4.A Toboldthe divergent ends ofthe'belts in adjusted position wegusebolts 23 passingthrough bolt holes. in ,the rails`V and .through 'transversely Y The bolts thus-be passed through the holes toi'clampthe divergent ends of the rails in adjusted position4 onthe cross bar, and of course the apples fall between the diverg- '95p ing conveyer belts 5V and `6, the smaller ones first, and the larger ones succeeding the smaller ones -as the .belts conv y ey them from -left'` to 'right as indicated. l, f

.Belowthe plane of The roller 17 is employed Atop impart V ers 7 are j'ournaled in brackets 22`at the ends disposed bars2l. that havey bolt holes adapt;- 90 Y ed-to register with those inthe guide rails*` 'the `working lightsiof 190 the belts and 6,'and located centrally of the longitudinally extending space between the belts an intermediate conveyer in the nature of a rope is supported and designed to coact with the inner edges of thebelts 5 and 6 in conveying the apples. This rope is also an endless conveyer, and its upper or working flight is maintained in horizontal `posithat 'the vertical j len kples ones later.V

tion vby means of travels.`

The rope travels over guide pulleys 27 and Jfollows the contour of the conveyer belts 5 and 6 as indicated in Figure 2, where it passes over the driving. roller '17 to receive power therefrom, and the rope passes under guide rolls 7 and 18 with thepconv-eyer belts. Y As guides 26 over whichft The apples fall `through the divergingsiz-V ing conveyers into two longitu'dinally'e-Xtend'- ing rows ofchutes 28, one at each side oi the longitudinal center of the machine, and theser chutes decline into longitudinalrows ofsizv'ing bins 29,. one row at each side of the Y, machine.

-The Vbins are provided withsoft orfcuslisV "'V'ioned, flexible, floating-,bewegen upon which vthe appleso'f a spefciiic size" are rolled from the declining'chute 28, the' floating bot- .Y toms being provided with resilient means that maintain the level of :the bins at'such aheight y that therev isno material drop .of the apples from the chutes: to thebinsffat anytime', and bruising'or marringof the apples 'is thus eliminated.y

Y For this purpose'the bottoms 'ASO'iare'hin-ged Y atv l'along the inner side lof tliebins'29 and the. Vouter free ends .of the bottomsare re- .silie'ntly supported by a spring orl'springs l32 interposed between-a fixed spring `bar 33 of they bin anda movable 'spring bar.V 33 of ythe bottom 3Q., Thus, ,as'rseenin Figure 3 vthe bottom,` `when the bin is empty., is resiliently supported'in approximately,horizontal position just below the louter edge ofthe decliningchute 28.Y As the size'diapples roll onto themovable bottomBO, theV weight oi"y the apples forces down thebottoin'against tenhand from the conveyers and placed in one of two cull conveyer belts 37 that pass through troughs 38 at the opposite sides of the table, rollers 89 forming part of the drive 4() for these cullbelts and `Vdriven from the operating mechanism in suitable manner.

Having thus by Letters Patent is Y Y p 1. The combination with a pair of guide rails and means for adjustablyzholding ,the rails in divergent position, of endless belts guided in said rails and guide rollers journaled on the rails forsaid beltsan intermediate, lower, diverging endless rope forming fully described our invention, `whatwe claim as new and desire to secure gaging slots with'the'belts,and driving mechanism for operatingsaid beltsfand rope. l

'2. The combination withy a" pair of rails havingguide flanges, endlessy belts guided 'in' said rails, and guide-.rollers journalled o na the rails for said belts, of a cross bar beneath the railsand provided with bolt holes, retaining bolts passed through'said holes "and also'k through holes in the rails tohold the' latter in adj usted "divergent position," and Y intermedi-y ate, lower, y diverging endless rope forming gaging slotsl with thebelts,;and driving mech-`v anism for'operating said belts and rope,l

In testimony whereof we'iuaifirx ourl sig'-v natures. 1 CHARLEY E. WHISN LEO KUBOSKE. v i

Vlos Y ills 1 ,sion of springy 32 andv the changing level of the` accumulating apples is""maintained at approximatelyhorizontal position to receive apples from the chute;

The apples are'takenbyhand from the bins Vvand. placed'in crates tthat' are conveniently Vsupported on frames -detac'hably secured on i f hooks 36 of ther-bins. The culls arev picked by se Y 

